Boston College Athletics
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Massachusetts
Massachusetts Holds Off BC for Beanpot Championship, 4-3
April 15, 2008 | Baseball
April 15, 2008
BOSTON, Mass. - Junior Mike DiCato (2-1) did not allow a hit through the first eight innings to lead the Massachusetts Minutemen (11-14, 4-8 A10) past the Boston College Eagles (18-18, 5-13 ACC) 4-3, to capture the Beanpot Championship on Tuesday afternoon at Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.
DiCato worked the first eight innings without surrendering a hit. In the ninth, BC catcher Tony Sanchez hit a bloop single to right field for the team's first base knock of the contest. The Eagles made it interesting in the bottom half of the ninth by scoring three runs off two hits. UMass reliever Mitchell Eilenberg struck out Sam Shaughnessy looking with runners on first and second to end the game and capture their first Beanpot Championship since 2000.
Sanchez and Mickey Wiswall tallied the only hits of the game for the Eagles, while Eric Campbell and Wiswall each collected one RBI apiece.
Ted Ratliff worked 5.1 innings out of the BC bullpen. The senior allowed no runs on two hits with four strikeouts.
Massachusetts jumped on BC starter Kevin Moran (2-1) in the first inning with three runs off three hits. Brian Baudinet led off the game with an infield single to shortstop. Ryan Franczek walked, followed by an attempted sacrifice bunt by Adam Tempesta, but the ball was thrown away allowing the Minutemen to load the bases. Cleanup hitter Jim MacDonald hit a base hit through the left side to plate Baudinet. Mike Donato collected an infield hit to score Franczek and catcher Bryan Garrity hit a sac fly to right field to round out the first inning scoring for UMass.
After a lead off walk to Andy Tuetken in the second, Moran was pulled for right-hander Ted Ratliff. The senior made his fifth career Beanpot appearance, his last being a 2-0 loss to Northeastern last season in the championship game.
In the sixth, Shaughnessy made the best contact against Massachusetts' starter Mike DiCato of the day. The sophomore lined a hit to right field, but Mike Donato made a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch to keep the no-hitter alive. Mike Sudol walked and advanced to second on a Barry Butera sac bunt. DiCato was able to retire Michael Belfiore on a fly out to center field and end the Eagles' threat.
The Minutemen drew three walks in the seventh to knock out Ratliff. With one in the frame, Nick Asselin entered. The senior enticed an inning ending ground ball double play by Franczek to escape the UMass bases loaded threat.
UMass tacked on its fourth run of the evening in the top of the ninth. Kyle Multner hit a RBI single to right field, which plated Andrew Black and give the Minutemen the 4-0 lead.
DiCato had a no-hitter entering the ninth inning. The right-hander walked Butera and Belfiore to start the frame. Tony Sanchez hit a blooper over second baseman Adam Tempesta's head to tally the first hit of the day for the Eagles. Eric Campbell would collect a RBI on a fielder's choice to score Butera. Wiswall knocked DiCato from the game with a RBI single through the right side to plate Sanchez. Right-handed reliever Mitchell Eilenberg recorded an out when John Spatola hit a line drive to center to score Campbell on a sac fly to make the score, 4-3. Eilenberg struck out Shaughnessy with runners on first and second to end the game.
BC will host Massachusetts tomorrow at Commander Shea Field in Chestnut Hill, Mass., at 3 p.m.
